About Synergies

History of the Synergies Process

In order to facilitate the implementation of the conventions, the conferences of the Parties have over the years adopted a series of decisions aiming at enhancing cooperation and coordination among the conventions. Thus, a framework for the so-called synergies process has been set.

Please click here for a PowerPoint presentation which provides an overview of the synergies process.

The Ad Hoc Joint Working Group

The Ad Hoc Joint Working Group on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions was established to prepare joint recommendations on enhanced cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions. The group was composed of 45 representatives of Parties, 15 from each of the three conventions. The recommendations developed by the Ad Hoc Joint Working Group were sent for adoption to the Conferences of the Parties to the three Conventions.

Synergies decisions

The decisions on enhanced cooperation and coordination among the three conventions, also called "synergies decisions" were considered and adopted by the Conferences of the Parties to the Basel Convention (decision BC-IX/10, June 2008), Rotterdam Convention (decision RC-4/11,October 2008) and Stockholm Convention (decision SC-4/34, May 2009) without any substantive amendments.

The "synergies decisions" concern synergies at the national, regional and global levels in the following areas:

2011 synergies decisions

In 2011, the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions adopted substantively identical decisions to further cooperation and coordination (BC-10/29, RC-5/12 and SC-5/27). Among others, these decisions approved an interim organization of the secretariats, cross-cutting and joint activities for inclusion in the programmes of work, detailed terms of reference for the review of the synergies process and holding simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the Conferences of the Parties in 2013.

The Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions was furthermore requested, by 31 December 2011 and in consultation with Parties to the three conventions through the bureaux, to prepare a proposal for the organization of the secretariats of the three conventions, including staffing levels, numbers and structure, to be implemented by 31 December 2012.

2013 omnibus decision

In 2013, ordinary and simultaneous extraordinary meetings of the conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions were held back-to-back. A substantively identical omnibus decision on enhancing cooperation and coordination among the three conventions (BC.Ex-2/1, RC.Ex-2/1 and SC.Ex-2/1) was adopted by the three conferences of the parties. Among others, the conferences of the parties endorsed the matrix-based management approach and organization of the Secretariat and adopted recommendations on follow-up to the review of the synergies arrangements. A further review of the synergies arrangements will be done by the conferences of the parties at their meetings in 2017. The conferences of the parties also adopted measures in the areas of:

Enhanced cooperation and coordination between technical bodies of the three conventions;

Wider cooperation;

Transparency and accountability; and

Facilitating financial resources for chemicals and wastes.

2015 decisions on enhancing cooperation and coordination

In 2015, ordinary meetings of the three conferences of the parties were held back-to-back, including joint sessions on joint issues. No extraordinary meetings of the conferences of the parties were held. The parties took six identical decisions aimed at strengthening coordination and cooperation among the conventions on:

Venue and date of the next meetings of the conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions (BC-12/22, SC‑7/31, RC-7/13).

The conferences of the parties additionally adopted harmonized decisions in a number of areas, including technical assistance, regional centres, the memorandums of understanding between the conferences of the parties and UNEP/FAO and the programmes of work and budgets of the three conventions, including 17 joint activities.

Among others, the conferences of the parties adopted the terms of reference for the review of the synergies arrangements to take place at their 2017 ordinary meetings. These meetings will be held in a similar format as in 2015, featuring joint sessions on joint issues.

Enhancing cooperation and coordination among the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions: Proposal for the modification of the organization of the Basel Convention Secretariat, the Stockholm Convention Secretariat and the United Nations Environment Programme part of the Rotterdam Convention Secretariat